Automatic valve for water-tanks



(No Model.) C. H. HARKINS.

4 AUTOMATIC VALVE POR WATER TANKS.

Patented Mar. 6, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo CHARLES H. HARKINS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

. AUTIOMATICIVALVE FOR WATER-TANKS'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,159, dated March 6,1888.

Application led October 4, 1887. Serial No. 251,454.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. HAEKINs, of the city of St. Louis, in theState of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inAutomatic Valves for Water- Tanks, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, and in which-- Figure I isa section through a watertank showing the part to which my inventionrelates in side view. Fig. II is a vertical section taken on line II II,Fig. III. Fig. III is a similar view taken o'n line III III, Fig. II.

My invention relates to an improved valve mechanism for automaticallyclosing the outlet of watertanks; and my invention consists in featuresof novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a tank, to the bottom of whichis connected an outlet-pipe, 2.A Around the mouth of this pipe, withinthe tank, is arranged a suitable seat, 3, for the valve. I have shownthe seat composed of an o'utturned flange, 4, ou the upper end ofthepipe 2, over which is placed a leather or other suitable ring, 5, heldin place by a ring, 6, screwing into the pipe 2. The ring 6 is providedwith a central tube, 7, connected to it by means of arms 8. Through thetube 7 dts a hollow pipe, 9, with an enlargement, 10, on its lower endto prevent its entire withdrawal from the tube 7. Secured to the pipe 9,some .distance above its lower end, is a bell-shaped valve, 11, thelower edge, 12, of which comes in contact with the seat 3 when the valveis closed. The pipe 9 is hollow, as

y stated, and immediately beneath the valve 11 it has one or moreperforations, 13. At the upper end of the pipe 9 there is an opening,14, leading into a chamber, 15, and from the chamber 15 there is anopening, 16, through the side of the pipe.

17 represents a valve consisting of a conical pointed screw, whichpasses through the upper end of the pipe and seats inthe upper end oftheopening or port 14.

27 represents a lever pivoted to the top of the tank at 18, and whichengages at its inner end beneath a collar, 19, on the upper end of thepipe 9.

(No model.)

sired to let a supply of Water into the pipe 2, the outer end of thelever 27 is pulled down, and as soon as this takes place the valve 11 isslightly raised from its seat 3, and the water commences to pass intothe pipe 2. As soon as the valve commences to rise from its seat thepressure of the water beneath it causes it to risc rapidly from theposition shown in Fig. II to the position shown in Fig. III. The leveris now released and the valve will automatically close. It will notclose, however, until the air which is in it has escaped. This airescapes through the openings 13 up the hollow pipe, through the opening14 to the chamber 15 and opening 16, as indicated by the featherlessarrows in Fig. II. As the air escapes, the valve gradually lowers to itsseat, and the length of time it takes to close the valve is regulated bythe time it takes the air to escape from the valve. This latterisregulated by means of the valve 17. The iow of water from the tank maythus be regulated at will.

It will he observed that the valve 11 is not closed at its lower end,thus avoiding any dit iiculty from foreign matter settling in the valve,as is the case with such valves having lclosed lower ends.

I claim as my invention- The combination of the outlet-pipe 2, havingthe annular liange 4 and a screw-threaded mouth, a cushioning-ring, 5,resting upon said flange, eXteriorly screw threaded ring 6, screwed intothe outlet pipe and having an overhanging ange resting upon ring 5, thevertical tube 7, the arms 8, integral with ring 6 and tube 7, a hollowvalve stem having perforations 13 in said tube, a downwardly-flaringopen bottom valve secured. to said stein above said perforations, avalve and outlet in said stem above the water-level, a collar, 19, onsaid stem, and alever engaging said collar for operating the valve,substantially as set forth.

CHAS. H. HARKINS.

In presence of- GEO. H. KNIGHT, J As. E. KNIGHT.

The operation is as follows: When it is de-

